


Sandbag

by another_maggies



Series: Choni collection [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Cheryl is not over it, F/F, TW: Conversion Therapy, TW: Flashbacks, but Toni's there to help, that sandbag in the preview tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 21:54:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14145393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/another_maggies/pseuds/another_maggies
Summary: A sandbag drops in front of Cheryl's feet. Nothing to worry about... or is it?





	Sandbag

Cheryl is fine. She's excellent even.

After being rescued from the hellhole of the wannabe one flew over the cuckoo's nest institution her life has been going great.

She's living with Toni. More importantly, she's with Toni now. And without her malicious mother's meddling there's no reason for them to hide it.

Sure, there's the fact that she's unable to access all of her prized possessions (or her fortune, for that matter, since she's not of age yet). Toni's trailer is teeny tiny (they have to eat meals at her uncle's next door; but it isn't anything like the homophobic hospitality at Thistle House, thank goodness) and sometimes things get more crowded than heated. There's also Nana Rose, whom Cheryl knows has been discharged but doesn't know much more of.

But overall, Cheryl's safe and Cheryl's, for once, really, truly happy.

They are at rehearsals. Well, a table read, really.

Everyone is being introduced, which is kind of unnecessary considering that Kevin basically only cast his own friends. However, Cheryl appreciates the eyes on her as he announces her for lead. Especially Toni's.

She gets up from the seat she's been sharing with her girlfriend to get to the one actually reserved for "Carrie". That's when it happens.

A sandbag drops maybe a foot in front of her, sand spilling out. She screams.

Everyone gasps.

Cheryl keeps screaming.

Because she's fine. But she really isn't.

_Her arms feel heavy from carrying sandbags all day. Her eyes are droopy from exhaustion. Her heart is heavy from loneliness._

_The sisters' words ring out in her ears: Deviant, unnatural, twisted._

Cheryl keeps screaming and starts crying.

_Your mother told us you don't make friends easily. Jason only kept you around, because he felt bad for you. Naturally, his friends were boys. But my dear child, they were never your friends. They only kept you company because your brother asked them to. Boys and girls can never just be friends, child. And girls and girls should never be more than friends._

Arms wrap around her. She falls to her knees.

_My my, what are these seemingly all American boys up to?_

Cheryl is openly sobbing. Somebody's rocking her, whispering in her ear. The words don't register.

_Every day Cheryl carries the sandbags. From south east corner to north east corner. From north east corner to north west corner. From north west corner to south west corner. From south west corner to south east corner. And then all over again._

_She's exhausted._

_You need to listen, the sisters say._

_She wants to scream. She can't. All she can do is cry._

“Cheryl, Cher. Shh... everything's fine. You're out of there. You're good.”

The voice is sweet in Cheryl's ears, welcome. She keeps her eyes shut. It's not real. But as long as she doesn't open her eyes to see the dark, moldy walls of her prison she can almost believe it is.

“Cher, please, just breathe with me, yeah? You need to calm down. Breathe with me, ok?”

Breathing. _It's something Cheryl cannot take lightly these days._

“In, out, in out...”

_She tries to keep up. She tries so hard to keep up. But her arms weren't made to carry sandbags and her eyes weren't made to watch these movies and her ears weren't made to keep out the demons._

“In, and out... yeah, there you go. That's it. You've got it, Cher. You're doing fabulous, bombshell.”

_Toni's voice is a cruel reminder of how sick she's become. She's imagining things, that's how lonely she's become during the past... days? Weeks? Months?_

“OK, Cheryl. Now, can you open your eyes for me?”

Against better judgment she opens her eyes.

“Toni?,” she croaks uncertainly.

“Yeah, it's me,” Toni assures.

“The sand...” Cheryl starts to explain.

Toni nods quickly. “Yes. Yes, I know.” Her hand cups Cheryl's face. Cheryl can't stop herself from leaning into the other girl's touch. “You're good now, you know that? You're safe.”

Cheryl breathes in, breathes out. She isn't fine. But all the same, she's excellent.

“Yes. I know.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'll try to squeeze in quite a few short fics over the hiatus, because I'm annoyed. Also because I expect the show to go down the road that Cheryl is just magically better, like after her Sweetwater River experience.  
> Aaaaalso: Cheryl's been to movie night twice, at least. Since the sisters called it "Movie night" I think it's not an every day thing. I'd guess weekly or biweekly, which to me confirms Cheryl's been at the Sisters' for at least a week, possibly more.  
> *Edit: I have a friend who suffered through a rather traumatic event who's experienced flashbacks due to triggers. It's really scary. But hugging and breathing helps.


End file.
